Workaround
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UK Supreme Court rules in favor of Google in iPhone tracking case
The UK's Supreme Court rejected the potential lawsuit, focusing on the fact that it would be difficult to prove individual harm for 5.4 million people in a single case.
Turkish ISPs make getting to YouTube a little easier, but haven't unblocked it yet
Even after the unbanning of Twitter and a court ruling in Google's favor, YouTube is still blocked in Turkey. Accessing the video streaming site did get a little easier today however, as the Wall Street Journal has confirmed residents can once again use DNS servers from Google, Level3 and OpenDNS that will route them around the block. More easily implemented than using a VPN, it finally reopens access via those servers after they were blocked ten days ago. There's no public statement available from the ISPs or the Turkish government, but hopefully unrestricted access to the best YouTube has to offer is coming soon.
Security team describes iPhone Airplane Mode issue
The addition of an easily accessible control panel for turning on features like WiFi, brightness and Airplane Mode from the iPhone's lock screen was a welcome addition to iOS 7. But, as a group of German security researchers has discovered, it may provide a backdoor for thieves to break into your phone. You can see a demonstration of the workaround, which uses the Control Center shortcut for Airplane Mode, in the video below from the security SR Labs. The workaround, if executed quickly and correctly, gives the thief time to spoof your fingerprint to bypass the iPhone 5s TouchID reader. While spoofing a fingerprint might not be as easy as it sounds, it's still a risk that 5s users should be aware of. The process still requires a high degree of skill that your common iPhone thief doesn't have. Still, it's only a few weeks into the phone's release. As time goes on, these methods will become more refined and easier to pull off. Thankfully there's a whole world of security professionals out there keeping a watchful eye on every possible workaround. Be aware, be secure and, for the love of God, try not to lose your phone.
Make Chrome open iTunes store links in iTunes
If you're having a hard time getting iTunes and App Store links to launch from Google Chrome right to the app from your browser, MacStories editor-in-chief Federico Viticci has found a nice workaround in the App Store support community. The workaround requires editing program files, so be careful if you're new. The issue deals with Chrome's protocol handlers. If your issue is with iTunes rather than the Mac App Store look for the line that says "itms" instead of "macappstore." Here's the hack from support community member Dahveed. 1. Close Chrome 2. Open "/Users/[my user name]/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Local State" in a text editor. TextEdit will do fine. 3. Look for the line "macappstore": true, under "protocol_handler": 4. Delete this line and Chrome will start to prompt you to open MAS links. 5. Change the true to false and MAS links will open without prompting. 6. Save the file and Quit the text editor. Double check to make sure this is actually a problem for you before you dive head-first into that code, but if you've been aggravated by this glitch, we're happy to have passed this information along.
PSA: Resetting your phone risks upsetting Google Wallet, unless you do it right
Spare a thought for Google Wallet users who have learned this the hard way, but at least you won't have to fall into the same little-known trap. Essentially, if you have a Galaxy Nexus, HTC EVO 4G LTE or any other compatible handset and you perform a factory reset, there's a high chance you'll spoil the secure element that is designed to protect your NFC chip from tampering. This disables Google Wallet and it seems there's no fix once that happens, other than calling up a friendly (and hopefully interactive) customer service agent. However, there is a way to prevent it: before factory resetting, you have to go into the Google Wallet app, choose 'Menu' then 'Settings' and 'Reset Google Wallet'. There it is -- simple enough, but evidently not advertised enough by Google or the phone manufacturers themselves.
How-to: use Google Music from anywhere (yes, outside of the United States)
Now that Google Music has finally clawed its way out of the realm of beta-ware, anybody in the US can sign up to play without an invitation. Of course, that leaves many folks out of the equation, so we thought it a good time to point out at least one other route to let you get involved in the service, no matter where you live. See, the rub seems to be that Google checks your IP address on your first attempt to log in, and accept its terms of use -- only the first time, and yeah, you're definitely going to be ignoring that doc by following this guide. So, in essence all we need to do is find a way to gently tiptoe past that gatekeeper and we're home free. Keep in mind that while you can upload your music, buying new tracks isn't going to happen until it rolls out in your neck of the woods in a more official way -- but hey, most of a good thing is still a good thing. There are various means to get this done, and we've found a pretty straightforward route, and if you're up to it click on through to the guide.
Workaround brings Netflix to more (rooted) Android users
We've already had some success getting Netflix for Android up and running on an officially unsupported phone (a Droid X), but those not able to get it to work simply by transferring and installing the .APK now have another option. As some folks on XDA and Reddit have discovered, you can apparently just edit a few system settings to make your phone (or Nook Color, for that matter) think it's actually an HTC G2, which is apparently all it takes to satisfy the Netflix app. It doesn't work with every phone, of course, but quite a few seem to have had success with it. Unfortunately for some, you'll also need to first root your phone in order to make those changes, but the steps are fairly simple once you've done that. Hit up the links below for all the details, and let us know how it worked out for you in the comments below. Just remember: when in doubt, back up.
Watch Netflix on your PS3 while PlayStation Network is down
As the PlayStation Network outage continues on with no word on a resolution, we can't get your PS3 online for Call of Duty: Black Ops but if all you want is a quick Netflix fix and haven't already figured it out, here's some help. A post on HackingNetflix points out that merely skipping through the login error screens (hitting the button to try to login and waiting worked best for us) is allowing many to access their queues and stream movies. We were able to get through to our Netflix queue a few days ago using this message, but we were stopped cold when we tried to actually stream a movie by an unskippable failure to connect to PSN screen that is probably due to our console's status as a rarely used streaming option. Unfortunately this method won't help with Hulu Plus and when it comes to Qriocity...was anyone ever using Qriocity?
Patch coming for Crysis 2 PC multiplayer key issues, workaround detailed
Crytek is working to release a Crysis 2 patch to correct two errors associated with multiplayer activation keys for the PC version of the game, a representative confirmed on the game's official MyCrysis Forums. In the meantime, the developer has laid out a workaround intended to side-step both users' inability to save their keys in the system (and thus forcing would-be players to re-enter the codes) and the erroneous error that claims, "Serial number in use." It's a three-step move, to be precise: "Load Crysis 2, go to multiplayer and type in your key" "Navigate back to Single Player" "Go back into multiplayer and re-enter your key" The majority of responses in the forum thread indicates that the workaround does bypass the two issues, though apparently it doesn't ameliorate scattered reports of server crashes and game freezing; to say nothing of the two big topics on account login integration and promo code redemption issues.
Nexus S OTA 2.3.2 update rolling out now, your SMS relations will thank you
Embarrassing SMS misdirect bug on your Android device? Nexus S owners should start checking their phones now for an over-the-air update that's supposed to fix the problem. It's being rolled out gradually, so just be patient if it's not there yet. How will we know the problem's gone for good? We'll just assume so until we find out otherwise, in some unfortunate manner. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Android text messaging bugs acknowledged, fixes detailed
Hear that thunderous roar off in the distance, growing louder (and more frightening) as it persists? That is the sound of excited Android users emailing us to inform their fave gadget site that Google has just sent users an update to that little embarrassing SMS bug that we reported a while back. There seem to be two distinct issues: users have reported both opening one message to have a completely different message appear, and / or sending an text message to one contact yet having it delivered to another contact entirely. We need only say one word: sexting, to highlight just how dangerous this could be! Google promises us that a fix for these two issues are in the works. In the meanwhile, check out the e-mail below to read their response and work-around. [Thanks Jon, and thanks to everyone else who sent this in!]
Unity takes a bow on Apple's third-party development stance
When Apple first passed out those development restrictions on using third-party platforms to create iOS apps, Unity was one of the third-party services that could have been frozen out (though Flash was obviously in everyone's minds). The team behind the popular game development environment assured everyone Unity was safe, but according to the rules as stated, the rest of us weren't so sure. Now that Apple has officially relaxed that policy, however, Unity's David Helgason is doing the equivalent of a victory dance on the company's official blog, saying that Unity respects Apple for "coming to the right conclusion, and in our eyes it's best to let bygones be bygones!" Yeah, he's kind of excited. Not that he's admitting the rules were make or break for Unity -- the company was apparently talking to Apple periodically, and even had a workaround ready to go if Apple ever did crack down on the platform. Helgason also points out that, even while things were up in the air, Apple continued to approve and, in some cases, feature lots of different Unity-created apps. While Apple preached against using anything but Xcode to create apps, the app review team allowed and even endorsed the products of third-party development tools. At any rate, the issue is settled now. Consumers are the real winners here. An end user probably can't tell the difference (if done correctly) between a third-party app and an Xcode app, so the more options for developers, the better.
Fixing broken iTunes Automator workflows in iTunes 10
If you depend on Automator workflows for managing music or other tasks in iTunes, the upgrade to version 10 may have come as a bit of a cold shock. Macworld pointed out that most available workflows for iTunes simply would not load with iTunes 10; a frustrating circumstance, to be sure. Fortunately, the problem turns out not to be that complicated; Automator's version checking thinks that iTunes 10.0 is a lower version than 9.0, because the versions are sorting alphabetically instead of numerically (oof!). Macfixit points to a workaround: opening up the Info.plist files inside the packages for the dysfunctional workflows and manually changing the version threshold. It's not ideal, but if you have critical Automator functionality that would otherwise keep you on iTunes 9, it's worth a try.
Video: Splinter Cell: Conviction freezing glitch and workaround [update]
Update: Both Xbox Support and an Ubisoft representative have confirmed the issue has been resolved. Happy badassing! Original: If you've played beyond the first mission of Splinter Cell: Conviction while connected to Xbox Live, you've likely run into a freezing glitch. A few minutes into the single-player campaign's second mission, the game just locks up -- but there's hope! Thanks to a pretty comprehensive thread on the Ubisoft Forums, a temporary workaround has been discovered, which requires clearing the system hard drive cache and logging out of Xbox Live. "I assure you everyone is hard at work to resolve the issue," posted an Ubisoft technical support representative, who could not confirm when players can expect an official patch. Check out the glitch and workaround in action above.
Flash on the iPhone, in demo form
Flash has finally made its way to the iPhone, with the help of some sneaky developers. The open source Gordon project, hosted over at github, has provided a JavaScript-powered Flash runtime. With it, you can actually load and view Flash's .swf files, even on the iPhone's Mobile Safari browser. I gave it a try earlier today and was delighted to find that several Flash demos ran fine on my 3GS, no jailbreaking or other installation necessary. Admittedly, this is a very preliminary build, that supports just these SWF tags. Also, to make this work, Flash developers will need to encapsulate the SWF into an HTML wrapper, importing the Gordon JavaScript source and then loading the swf, as shown here. I am not a Flash expert by any means, but this seems like a pretty cool development for any iPhone enthusiasts who would be interested in seeing the platform support that technology. At this point, there's not much to show for it besides a few demos (and who knows what Apple will think about this), but at least there's a currently viable way to run and view Flash on the iPhone. Thanks, August Joki. And yes, the project name is apparently a riff on Flash Gordon
Workaround for HTC Hero battery life issues discovered
Well, there still isn't a fix for the problem some people seem to be having with receiving text messages on their HTC Hero, but it looks like a workaround has been discovered for another pesky issue that can put a strain on the phone's battery life. Apparently, the phone has a bit of trouble going back into sleep mode after you send a text, or after you simply turn on the phone and immediately disable the screen without any activity. While some fairly elaborate fixes were tried by some users initially, it looks like the simplest actually works the best: just don't use the default SMS app to send texts. Instead, you can use a third-party app like ChompSMS or HandCent, which apparently have no problems letting the phone go back to sleep after you send a text. Of course, an official fix would still be the best but, in the meantime, you can hit up the link below for all the necessary details on making the (hopefully temporary) switch. [Thanks, Sean]
Inside iPhone 3.0: Fix too-strict passcode lock settings for Exchange users
If your iPhone was connected to an Exchange server for email, contact or calendar synchronization prior to your upgrade to the 3.0 software, you may have run into the same problem that was bugging me for a day or so: the timeout on the passcode lock gets set to "Immediate," forcing you to enter the code almost every time you pick up the phone. Secure, sure, but very annoying. Going to the usual settings location to adjust the timeout shows no choices other than the insta-lock; what to do? A thread on the Apple discussions boards points to the answer. Since the ActiveSync link to the Exchange server controls some security policies on the phone, you need to refresh those controls; the easiest way to do that, short of deleting and recreating the Exchange account, is to turn off all three sync modes and the Push setting. Once that's done, you can go back to the passcode lock screen and disable the lock or adjust the timeout. Put your sync settings back the way they were and your changes to the passcode config should remain in place. While this is an annoying quirk, it's not all gripes and grimaces in the Exchange support department. At long last, users of Exchange calendars can send meeting invitations (hallelujah!); Exchange 2007 users can even view the reply status of attendees. Users can specify additional mail folders for sync, and Exchange 2007 users can search server-side mail from their devices. For a full rundown on the enterprise-friendly features of iPhone OS 3.0, check out the Enterprise Integration guide via Apple's enterprise features page. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
Safari RSS vulnerability might reveal your personal data
This vulnerability is patched in the 2009-001 security updates.When reports of security issues in Apple's Safari browser come over the transom, they get our attention. When they're exploitable in both the Mac and Windows versions of Safari, they get our full and undivided attention. When the person reporting them is Brian Mastenbrook (credited with discovering multiple previous vulnerabilities in Mac OS X)... well, someone shut off that damn klaxon and let us get back to work. In this case, the issue is that a hole in Safari's handling of RSS feeds could allow an attacker (via a malicious web page) to capture a user's personal information, cookies or even passwords. While Brian has not posted more details of the vulnerability publicly, he has acknowledgment from Apple that the issue exists; hopefully we will see an update soon that closes this hole. In the meantime, although Windows Safari users are advised to use a different browser to avoid the vulnerability, Mac users can simply set an alternative RSS feed handler to work around the issue. Update 1/14: Per Brian's further research, the workaround below is not adequate to protect against the vulnerability, as Safari also handles URL types of 'feeds' and 'feedsearch,' which cannot be set to alternative handlers within Safari itself. The revised workaround calls for the RCDefaultApp preference pane, which does let you redirect the other URL types. To change your feed handler, go to Safari's Preferences and click the RSS button. If you have any other capable feed reader on your machine, you can select it from the list (if your menu looks like mine does in the screenshot, you have a serious problem with RSS reader addiction and you need immediate help). Don't have another feed reader available? NetNewsWire and NewsFire (and the open-source Vienna, cited repeatedly by our commenters) are free for the downloading, as is the Reader Notifier helper app that interacts with Google Reader -- for the purposes of getting around the vulnerability, it doesn't matter which application you choose as long as you don't leave it set to the default of having Safari do its own RSS chores. Note that the vulnerability apparently does not require you to open a feed in Safari to be affected -- a specially-constructed webpage is capable of triggering it.RCDefaultApp settings for "feeds" and "feedsearch" also need to be modified. Thanks to Brian for the heads up & everyone who sent this in.
Workaround puts auto-playlist back on Zune
Just days after a clever Zune owner figured out a way around the "three-play rule," another has found a method for restoring auto-playlist functionality -- sort of, anyway. As you know, this feature vanished with the introduction of Zune software v2.0, but apparently, getting some semblance of it back doesn't take a whole lot of effort. All you have to do is create an auto-playlist in Windows Media Player, save said playlist as an M3U file and watch your Zune handle the rest. Head on over to the read link for all the details, but don't uncross your fingers for Microsoft to bring the official version back in the not-too-distant future.[Via Zunerama, image courtesy of SelfHack]
Workaround found for three-play rule on Zune
Finding yourself unhealthily frustrated by that annoying "three-play rule" still included in the latest firmware update for the Zune? Fret not, as a solution easier than easy has been discovered. Apparently, users can simply accept a shared track, go into Windows and switch the genre to "Podcast," and play the tune over as many times as they'd like. Granted, any files which this trick is used for will show up in the Podcast section, but hey, you can't get everything, right?[Thanks, Michael, image courtesy of Zune]
